The Phoenix

Got this place off if Unilocal and was not disappointed. The food and service was excellent the only reason I didn’t give it 5 was due to the typical bar smell of alcohol in the carpet. Otherwise it was a great dining experience. Had the potato coins, Brussels sprouts, duck confit, short rib, and chipotle pork shanks. Everything was cooked perfect! For dessert the bread pudding was delish! Keep it up guys!

Yuck! Great idea but the restaurant is dirty and they also had only ½ the plates in. They just did not have the burger or the salmon or the scallop, I forgot all of the things they did not have in and it was a Saturday night at 6:30pm … And when we got our leftovers the waitress put it all in on box (different plates mind you) and then asked if we wanted to fix it? Do not go!!! We could not get out fast enough! what a waste of money.

«Can I help you??» was how we were greeted by the annoyed hostess (we probably interrupted her precious cell phone time) This set the tone for probably one of the most disappointing meals I have ever had and it really has nothing to do with the back of the house.
If you’ve ever taken anything away from my reviews it’s that I am always fair. I usually do not write bad reviews because I check out restaurants before had and based on various factors choose a place. I’d like to think that I am a good patron, in that I’m easy going, I try not to be a pain in the ass with absurd demands, I look at the menu ahead of time to decide if the food being served is something I might be interested in, I’m ALWAYS pleasant to the hard working staff and I don’t try to get the chef to change his/​her menu, that they’ve carefully thought out, to my liking. I always go into a restaurant with the best of intentions and expect to be treated nicely and like my business is appreciated. Most of the time it works out well, this time it did not.
After the unpleasant greeting we almost walked out but I thought to give them the benefit of doubt and give the place a shot.
First and foremost I will say that the food here is good. We enjoyed the food we ordered and the presentation was good too. Prices were very reasonable and the drinks were great. (nice job on the whiskey pour too) I was feeling a little better about our decision.
We ordered the following:
Meat and cheese board with assorted meaty and cheesy goodness.
Lamb Lollipops which were cooked perfectly and the mint demi glaze was a nice compliment.
Sauteed Shrimp which was cooked well too, The bacon and gorgonzola fondue was a nice touch but I thought there was too much of the gorg and it overpowered the dish.
Fried Oysters were great as well especially with the melted leeks on top.
Pork Belly which was the star of the show complimented with a sunnyside egg on top.
After the meal was when I had the worst taste in my mouth.
When the meal ended our server came to clear plates and almost begrudgingly asked us if we wanted desert or coffee, we weren’t totally sure but wanted to look at the desert menu. She comes back with a desert menu (that actually had another dinner menu that we’d hadn’t seen on the back. Was this the wrong desert menu? Was there another dinner menu that were weren’t given? I will never know the answers to those questions because our waitress LEFT!
We looked at the desert menu and decided in less than 5 minutes that were were good and would like the check. The only problem was no one was there to ask. No wait staff, no hostess, not even a busboy. So we waited and waited and waited for about 20 minutes. (which is about 15 more than I should have). Only when I went up to go outside and have a smoke (yep, I do that… don’t judge) did someone come over to our table (another waitress?) to ask my fiancé «if we were all set». (maybe they do this a lot and others have bolted without paying, that’s not my style) Matter of fact were were not all set, we were pissed at the fact that were were made to feel like inconveniences and that our waitress had just «went home» as the second waitress informed us. I actually felt bad for a second and tried to go over our meal to see if we had done something wrong. But it occurred to me that what we did wrong was come to this place on this night. I could be wrong but if diners come to your place at 9:15 on a Saturday night and you have a sign that says «kitchen open until Midnight» it’s not unreasonable that they would expect a complete dining experience when their meal is finished at 10:30. Or at the very least have someone cover a table so that the people eating there don’t feel like total jackasses.
Like I said earlier, The food here is great but the service is substandard and downright disrespectful. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if the former outweighs the latter.

While this is a belated review it doesn’t change my opinion of The Phoenix one bit. The restaurant offers something for everyone. Want to go out with friends and share a cheese and meat plate with a bottle of wine? You got it. Want to share tapas and sample a little of everything?! Yep. Or just go for dinner with your man! All around great place for any dining experience your craving. But watch out you will rack up a generous bill quite quickly.
I highly recommend any of the dinner entrees over the risotto! Absolutely fantastic.
If your looking for a nice date night dinner, this is your place. Not a very large restaurant maybe 20 tables, but the service is great and insightful about the cheese/​meat flights. And the interior has a very dark romantic feel about it. Mhmm I’ve talked myself into going back soon!

Despite the fact that I will miss Pomodorino terribly, I couldn’t wait to try this newly hyped restaurant right smack in the middle of my hometown. First of all, you can’t miss this place. It’s the only black and red building probably in the whole town and a few towns over. Gothic, eclectic and modern décor both outside and inside… it sticks out like a sore thumb. To be honest, the color scheme threw me off from the original color pallet of warm hues. But I heard a lot of wonderful reviews from Newsday (LI newspaper), word of mouth and of course Unilocal.My family isn’t one for tapas or small plates. I however, love the idea and concept. Yes, it can get a bit pricey but the quality is impressive. I pass by this place every day and finally had the opportunity to dine at The Phoenix recently.
Considering The Phoenix is affiliated with the same owner as «The Good Life» and «Jam», I knew the food was going to be good. Inside, The Phoenix could almost be mistaken as a punk rock/​gothic –esque lounge. It was a different experience than what I’m used to, but I welcome you with open arms. My friend and I were seating right away and on a weekday night, this place was still hoppin’.
From the look of the menu, they have the «core» menu with includes an array of salads, cured meats and cheeses. Don’t overlook the fact that they have an entrée menu as well. We however found ourselves eyeing the small plates menu. Being the adventurous duo that we were… we tried at least one item from the Earth, Land and Sea categories. (Average prices for tapas ranged from $ 7-​$ 11 each.)
Earth:
–Pecan Crusted Brie, Cherry-​Onion Jam– Delectable. The richness of the brie paired very well with the earthiness of the toasted pecans. To top it off, that onion jam cut the bold flavors of the dish by adding a nice touch of acidity. One of my favorite dishes of the night.
–Edamame Potstickers Onion Jus, Ginger Soy– Pretty good! Not too different from other potstickers I’ve had, but nonetheless they added a nice light, refreshing element to our pallet.
Land:
–Filet Mignon, Roasted Mushrooms, Cheese Fondue on a Garlic Crostini– What a mouthful. Literally and figuratively. I’m not a huge fan of mushrooms, but this was downright delicious. I don’t see filet mignon often on a vessel like a crostini, but everything melded together nicely.
Sea:
–Curried Shrimp, Coconut Broth, Calamari, Poached Apricots– What a combination of flavors. Curry and coconut go together like peanut butter in jelly IMO. This small plate was also a star of the night. The spices really woke up our taste buds.
It takes a truly special mind to come up with creative combinations of flavors like these ones here at The Phoenix. I give my hat off to the chef for taking risks that have most definitely paid off. They have successfully managed to push the boundaries of flavor here and I look forward to coming back soon.
P. S. Biggest regret– not trying the Bread Pudding. Next time my friend, next time.

Been meaning to try this place for a while. Since The Good Life is really yum, I figured this would be up to par. Unfortunately, I thought wrong.
Out waitress was definitely very young and inexperienced. She didn’t know what type of cheese was on part of their featured cheese plate choice. Also, the menu doesn’t even list what type of milk it’s from. If you’re going to do a cheese board, you should describe the type of cheese. They were pretty good as well as the accompaniments.
Next, we had the mussels with blue cheese and bacon. Those were also pretty good, but didn’t taste fresh. My husband them had the small plates of chicken liver, filet mignon & pork belly and he liked them all. No complaints. That’s the reason I’m giving it 3 stars.
I had the chickpea hushpuppies, which were too dry and lemony and curryish. Also had the fried rice sticks and the edamame potstickers. The potstickers were very good.
I wasn’t given fresh silverware and my husband wasn’t given water when he asked for it (and I had to ask twice for mine). The place was not busy at all either.
I will not be back here, I wish it was better.

This place is AMAZING to say the least!!! I am disappointed my husband and I didn’t try it sooner. The menu made me a bit nervous when they first opened (because the choices are different than most restaurants) and that is what prevented us from trying it sooner. We finally gave it a shot and came to find out they had an additional seasonal menu.
The chickpea fries and the edamame potstickers are perfect. This place actually has options for both myself and my husband who are both very different eaters. The prices are on the higher side of average, but the quality of the food is OUTSTANDING! We don’t mind paying a little more for great food and service. This place is a diamond in the rough and definitely recommend giving it a try!!!

The Phoenix has a very unique atmosphere and menu. The décor is gothic/​romantic (red and black everywhere). The menu is mostly tapas style with some entrée selections. Upon being seated, we were served pickled watermelons, which were sweet and spicy. Definitely different than your typical amuse bouche.
My boyfriend and I had:
Roasted Pork Sliders with sautéed spinach, shaved parmesan, and tobacco gravy served with Potato Coins (great combination and the coins were OUT OF THIS WORLD)
Filet Mignon, Roasted Mushrooms, Cheese Fondue on Garlic Crostini (amazing, especially the cheese fondue)
Bone-​In Buffalo Chicken with Sautéed Carrots and Celery, Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes (this was very dry and unfortunately we had to send it back)
Mac & Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf with Truffle Mashed and BBQ Gravy (this was ok, but nothing I can’t make at home)
Molten Lava Cake with Raspberry Sauce (I usually like a more dense cake, but this light cake was still very rich and delicious)
I think, had we stuck to the tapas items, we would have given this place 5 stars. The entrees just fell flat but the other dishes were phenomenal.

Not bad. Not bad at all. Especially once I found the red wine on tap (much much better than what they have by the bottle *and* cheaper). Note for next time!
And yes, there will be a next time. While The Phoenix wouldn’t be a destination, it certainly lessens the pain of being stranded out in Wantagh at my parents’ house when I go back home to visit.
The other amazing thing: the food! No, seriously. I wasn’t expecting to want to eat every single truffle «Potato Coin» that came in the order, but there I was, on track to becoming as stuffed as a Harrah’s slot machine on social security check day. Thank god I had two friends joining in on that action.
And the cheese plate is good, too. Nice selection and accoutrements!
Finally, I just want to give a shout-​out to our bartender/​waitress. She made us feel like rock stars, even saying she wished she could hang out with our table instead of having to go back to work. So, we finished our tab at the table and joined her at the bar.
Really fun place and like I said, a nice find in Nassau County, land of the strip malls and chains.

I came here on a Friday night and I did enjoy it although I would definitely need to give it another go to see how I truly feel about it.
I tried the mead wine on tap which I believe was a blackberry. The waitress recommended the tap mead over the bottle, she said it was less «syrupy». I knew what she meant as soon as I tried it. I never had mead wine before and was interested. This to me tasted like cough syrup mixed with beer, and a wine spritzer. Very odd combination I know, not really my cup of tea which I much rather would have had over mead.
I also had the molten lava cake and it was amazing, chocolate and raspberry never fail and I didn’t have trouble finishing it at all! I think it would’ve gone better with a nice glass of red wine though.
We couldn’t get a regular table so we sat at a table on the bar side which was fine. The ambiance was a little off to me though, I’m not sure what it was. Maybe the seating or the lighting?
Overall I had a nice evening, and I would go back to try this place again. I’m not sure if I’m game on their food menu so it would probably be for more wine and dessert or possibly a nice cheese board.
The staff was very friendly as well and I would definitely recommend trying this place out, although I don’t recommend the mead unless it’s something your already into. The place seems quirky and interesting though. I look forward to trying their other wines as well.

Finally made it to The Phoenix on Saturday March 30^th after reading so many positive reviews from my Unilocal friends and it was a great experience. We wanted to sample as many dishes as possible so we went with the small plates menu.
Earth:
Seasonal «Pickle» Jar: Beets — love pickled beets and these were great
Potato Coins, Garlic, Parmesan, Truffle Oil — holy crap these were so good, nice and crispy and gotta love the truffle oil, yum!
Chickpea Fries, Garlic-​Lemon Aioli — really cool concept, loved the fries and the aioli was just the perfect compliment and really kicked up to another level
Land:
Corned Beef, Red Cabbage & Apple Kraut, Mustard-​Horseradish Au Jus — some of the most tender and flavorful corned beef complimented with delicious red cabbage — more please!
Short Rib Ragout, Tagliatelle Pasta, Goat Cheese Demi-​Glacé, Blistered Tomatoes — the only dish that lacked the wow factor, it was good but just seemed to be lacking something to make it truly memorable
Sea:
Gorgonzola Shrimp, Baby Spinach, Bacon Lardons, Garlic Crostini — another show stopper on our tour of their menu — so freakin good, Gorgonzola was rich and creamy with small chunks of bacon, perfectly cooked shrimp atop a spinach covered crostini — this dish was licked clean!
Crawfish Stuffed Pequillo Pepper, Chorizo, Creole Gravy, Herbed Cream — very tasty, the coolest stuffed pepper I’ve ever had, the stuffing was well mixed with some small chunks of crawfish but the flavors blended together for a delicious tango!
Desserts:
Fried Bread Pudding, Banana Caramel, Cinnamon Crème Anglaise (ala mode as suggested by our server) — seems like everyone raves about this and it was heaven! If French toast and zeppoles had a baby it would be this fried bread pudding — warm, crispy, sweet and just plain delicious! And the vanilla ice cream was excellent and a perfect compliment to the richness of the dessert.
Seasonal Cobbler: Apples, Blackberries, Brown Sugar Crumbles, Vanilla Ice Cream — the fruit and the ice cream were great but the brown sugar crumbles was more like a brittle then a crumble and the crunchiness was more then I wanted. A softer texture would have been better but the flavor was great.
Great beer and wine selection. The service was excellent. Price was also very reasonable as we had 7 small plates plus 2 desserts, 2 beers and 2 glasses of wine for $ 105 — that’s a good deal in my book for an all around stellar dining experience!
Can’t wait to go back and try more! One more experience like this and the 4 star review can easily become a 5!

Heard buzz and went for dinner to check it out. Located on corner of Merrick Rd not far from 135. Place is not imposing, rather quaint and happening. Great crowd, all enjoying the drink and food. They have small plates which gives you an opportunity to try many great dishes. After my second martini no further review was possible! But I do remember the main courses being great. Obviously, we will have to return to further delve into the offerings of The Phoenix… And bring friends along this time!

I don’t normally review a restaurant after only one dining experience but the Phoenix has me puzzled and not in a good way. We ordered a large selection of the small plates as well as an entrée so we got a good feel for the food and it was definitely mixed. Mussels were excellent as was the salad and the cheese selection was great. Everything else was average to poor — duck confit was just a cooked leg not confited. Brussels were too vinegary to eat. The staff was super and knowledgable. The entrée of pasta was tiny for $ 18 and included chickpea meatballs that were not on the menu and too heavy to eat. Overall a disappointment — I will not go back.

This place gets pretty good reviews from Newsday, and other smaller food bloggers, but I don’t get it. I went here with two of my friends, and tried a bunch of things, and pretty much everything fell short.
We got the cheese ravioli, pork belly, baked apple, short rib ragout, filet mignon, gorgonzola shrimp, and skirt steak. I’m sure i’m missing one or two other things, but it’s not too important. Everything was just meh, nothing was good or great. I was extremely disappointed, partly because I LOVE the good life, and it’s the same owners.
There were small, minute saving graces. The place is set up kind of cool, the help was great, and they have Mead. But, considering all the fantastic beer selection at the Good Life, it’s just so-​so here.
Would I go back, unfortunately not, i’ll just continue to go to the good life.

Tapas /​Eclectic /​American
Looking for something worthy of my 1600^th review and after speaking with an accomplished Unilocaler who loves The Phoenix, I knew that I had to get in there to see what all the talk was about. We had been chatting about getting in there and the opportunity finally arose so I grabbed what is probably the #1 fan of this place and headed over.
Hitting the place on a week night gave me the opportunity to really take a good look at the interior which was a sweet collection of lounge-​ish coziness and restaurant. The bar area as you walk in is good sized and there is a set of high tables against the high wall setting off the bar area from the restaurant proper. Nice separation in that you don’t get the spillover from the bar. The restaurant seating area is also done well and there is a corner set off towards the back that is more couch like and will be curtained off at some near point in the future. A great place to bring a date, your friends or even yourself.
The menu has a collection of drinks, Meads (when is the last time you had Mead? Huh?) and a beer selection that is way beyond your normal crap in a can you get everywhere else. Wines by the glass were a nice selection to please just about any palate and style.
The menu is seasonal and is about to change, but we had a nice selection of small plates that were just amazing. I think there are enough reviews on here already discussing this or that and let me tell you, everyone one of these amazing reviews is on the money. Chick pea fries? Just freaking AWESOME. The salad we started with? Awesome! The duck? UN-​real! If you know me, you know there is no sanctuary for a duck anywhere in my vicinity and all I can say is thank goodness I was here with someone who helped me eat healthy or I swear, I would have ordered the rest of the duck they had in that kitchen; it was that perfectly moist and tasty. Oh my!
We passed on dessert only because I was trying to be good and it was on the late side to be eating but let me tell you, I am going back there and will work my way through the entire menu. I’m looking forward to the menu change which is apparently coming in the next week or two.
We also had the opportunity to chat with Pete for a few minutes during and after dinner. I always love the fact that an owner is around and this is a guy who takes great pride in his restaurant. Somehow it seems this place is out of place on Long Island but it is desperately needed and is now on my regular circuit of places to dine at.
Just Awesome in every way.
You must GO.
Parking on the street.

Anything Pete is involved with is made of awesome…
That being said, this place, of course, is awesome.
Great collection of small plates that all knock it right out of the park. I especially enjoyed the chick pea fries and the pork belly — incredible.
Awesome selection of wines and beers which gives you an even better reason to head over there!
The décor is beautiful. You don’t feel like you’re on Long Island at all. It’s an awesome date night spot.
Don’t forget — they serve MEAD here! That is a hard thing to get your hands on! It’s so cool!
I can’t wait for the next time. The menu is seasonal using fresh ingredients for the time of year which is also fun to try the new things that come out each season!
Looking forward to going back!

Oh my lanta. I’ve been home for less than half an hour after dining here and felt it was necessary that I immediately post this review.
The Phoenix is by far one of the most incredible restaurants I have ever had the pleasure of dining in.
My sister had already been here once before, sadly my twin and I had not, and when the three of us were out tonight looking to grab a late night bite, we ended up here, and I could not be happier about that.
The ambiance is dark and definitely romantic, ideal for a date. But perfect enough for a girls night out. The waitstaff, from the hostess, to the busboy, were amazing. I also believe that the owner took care of us also, and he was a delight.
Now to the food! Incredible does not even seem to give it justice.
What we sampled:
Cheese slate– Each cheese was delicious and paired with something interesting. The strong blue cheese paired with macerated cherries was by far my favorite.
Cheese Ravioli-​I am not too keen on ravioli, but these were some of the best I have ever had. The sauce was so good.
Creamed corn with bacon lardons-​My favorite dish of the evening. No joke. The freshest corn, popped when you bit into it. I could fill a bathtub and swim in it. It took all of my might not to lick the plate clean. No I am not joking.
Filet Mignon with roasted mushrooms-​The filet was cooked perfectly rare, I can’t stress how important that is, and for a small plate, sometimes the cooking of a piece of meat could be overlooked, but not here.
Shrimp with cheddar grits-​I am not a grits person, but these were delicious. The shrimp were huge and cooked to perfection, had a little snap, which is what I look for when eating shrimp.
And for dessert we had the fried bread pudding. I don’t usually order desserts, but this was too amazing to pass up. As the owner said it was a cross between a zeppole and french toast, and it was amazing. Seriously.
I can’t wait to come back again soon, the menu changes seasonally, and the summer one comes out next week!

RIP pizza oven, you great sweaty beast! No more duck pizza, no more potato pizza… But hello more bar space!
So I’ve been back several times since my initial review and I’ve tried a bunch of different things so I’ll try to be brief in the interest of time and space.
1. Chick pea fries. Mixed reviews from the table but I thought they were really good and an interesting take on hummus. The chick peas are ground up and fried to look like large steak fries. The aioli is seasoned with hummus spices and when combined, you can hardly tell that you are eating something new.
2. Breakfast flavored pulled pork. The best idea ever! Sweet, salty and savory all in one bite. Speaking of sweet, savory and salty…
3. Savory bread pudding. My favorite dish on the menu. It’s basically the best corn bread stuffing with chicken, gravy and cranberry sauce all mixed together into the perfect bite.
4. Faux Philly. Earthy and did not leave me longing for meat.
5. Noodle Chicken Soup. Very good Asian inspired chicken noodle soup although I still prefer the peanut soup.
Basically, almost everything that I try it amazing but even the dishes that are not my favorite are at the very least still really good food. EAT HERE!

I am not normally one to give a five star review to a place that I have only been to once, but I will if I had something that we so delicious that I can’t help it.
What we sampled:
The BBQ pulled duck pizza:
Delicious with a cracker thin crust, but I personally could have used a bit more sauce to help cut through the richness of the duck; but there was a lot of duck on the pizza!
Cheese Ravioli:
OMG! I can’t say enough or really anything about these ravioli. All I can say is these are in my top 5 ravioli dishes ever! They had a delicious cheese filling and the butternut squash bur blanc was out of this world. These were so good that after we finished eating them we had to order them again (they really were that good)
Savory Bread Pudding:
Delicious and was like a very good bread pudding made the day after Thanksgiving. May have been a great dish, but the ravioli ruined me. I liked it but nothing was living up to that ravioli.
«Chicken Fried» Pork Belly:
Delicious and the tobasco gravy helped to cut the heaviness of the dish.
PB&J Wontons:
They were good for a try, but overall just a concept dish not so interesting.
Seasonal «Cobbler»:
Delicious. I was addicted to the crunchy cobbler bits but it could really have used some ice cream to break through and meld the flavors.
A note on the service: We were the second table in the restaurant and then the only table after about five minutes. Food was brought out in a timely manner and the waitress was more than helpful with suggestions (she was the one that suggested those ravioli). She was also engaging in conversation with us, though the set up with the bar being on the opposite side of a wall made us feel quite alone when we needed something and she was on the other side. A few minutes after another server joined and they both worked together on our one table. The manager also came over to us and asked for our feedback on the food. Overall everyone seemed eager to make this an enjoyable experience and to make us feel comfortable. I can’t wait to return!

The Phoenix of Seaford, NY just opened on 1÷23÷2012 as another project of Paul & Pete of «The Good Life» in Massapequa Park and «The Republic» of Farmingdale. It has a funny and surreal vision of culinary creativity unleashed for one’s enjoyment. My estimate of this new restaurant adventure is one that it will continually evolve and rise up from the ashes of the previous season, week, or month. While I am sure there are others performing similar feats in the kitchen in other cities known for their culinary prowess, this one will make a great impression on Long Island, NY in the near future.
Duck pizza? As I walked in the funky red walled building with black wainscoting and odd matrix of hanging bare light bulbs, I noted the huge pizza oven behind the bar and the familiar scent of duck roasting in the background. I was really there to extend my congrats to the owners, whom I know from their other places, but I found friends of mine were already there, so I joined them as they were the only ones in the rounded dining room.
With the menu presented to me and tapas plates being served, I got a unique taste of duck pizza on a long plate. Scanning the menu, I noted cured meats, cheese boards, sandwiches, soups, pastas, and a noteworthy craft beer list that included mead. I was expecting a full manner of courses and got something lighter with very attentive and friendly service. Opting for the chicken sandwich with chips, I asked the waitress how the prep work was done on the item and I was very pleased to be entertained/​educated by someone who had the precise knowledge of how every item was created and served.
The food arrived in good time as my friends and I were sharing plates and talking to the owners about their plans for the new place. I found the red wine blend to be an easy choice and something different from the beer list, which was exceptional for a little place. My selection was fresh and perfectly cooked as it vanished quickly.
I know that will have to return to try other selections in the future as this fun vision of light culinary fare needs to be explored further and tasted on different occasions.
As «The Good Life» of Massapequa Park raised the local standard of what a great craft beer bar should be, I hope that The Phoenix will inspire others to step forward with their unique visions to be served on plates too.